Was a surprisingly excellent film.

Rating: 8/10 (19 April 2005)

When I first saw the previews for 28 Days Later, I figured it was simply another middling zombie movie: crowd-pleasing, but shallow. After its release onto DVD and video, however, I saw that it was given very good reviews, and I decided to rent it. I was amazed.
Besides being chilling and exciting film, many parts of it had a genuine atmosphere. The visual effects, including the key color- red-, give the story a dream-like authenticity. Sometime while watching it, it hits you that the plot is actually fictional. Though it is easy to realize that many of the most eloquent scenes are set up in previous ones, if you think about it for a while, you'll only remember the stunning imagery, interesting camera angles, and the simple but spine-tingling music.
The acting in 28 Days Later was also quite satisfying. Cillian Murphy gave a good performance as Jim, who's mysterious and strategical sides are revealed when he is on the run in a temporary military post in upper England. Naomie Harris also performed very well as Selena, a kind and motherly young woman, who's main concern is protecting Hannah from the raging zombies as well as from the military soldiers who, dazed by isolation, are trying unnecessarily to procreate.
I believe one of the most chilling moments is when Jim (Murphy) looks up into the sky and sees a plane flying across. This was when I first truly realized that the only place affected by the dangerous virus was Great Britain. Everyone else in the world was still going about their usual business, and might not have even known of the epidemic. The ending makes you believe that everything is done and over- but truly, is it?